Alarmingly Close Calls at Washington DC Airport: Why Wasn’t Action Taken Before the Crash?

Last year, Congress approved adding ten new daily flights to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. However, they may not have realized that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had alarming data about near misses in the already busy skies. This oversight raised serious safety concerns.

Reports indicate that the FAA had documented numerous incidents indicating a higher-than-expected number of close calls. Despite these warnings, there was no change in operations before a tragic midair collision in January 2024, which resulted in the deaths of 67 people.

James Hall, a former National Transportation Safety Board chair, criticized the lack of attention to this data. "Why someone was not paying attention" is a question still unanswered. Close calls were more frequent than travelers might think, especially considering that Reagan National was intended for 15 million passengers but is now handling around 25 million annually.

Family members of the victims are now questioning why safety measures weren’t taken sooner. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that pilots received alerts about potential collisions at least once a month from 2011 to 2024. In total, there were around 85 incidents where aircraft came disturbingly close to one another.

Doug Lane, who lost his wife and son in the crash, expressed frustration over the FAA’s inaction: "How does that happen in this day and age?" Pilots have long been aware of the jammed airspace around Reagan National, especially with military aircraft nearby. The recent figures released by the NTSB have added urgency to these concerns.

Despite significant risks, the FAA seemed unmoved by the data. Jennifer Homendy, the current NTSB chair, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy both expressed anger over the situation. "If someone was paying attention, they would have seen this," Duffy stated. He has since suggested banning certain helicopter flights around the airport, a temporary measure that was implemented after the collision.

Mary Schiavo, a safety advocate and former inspector general of the U.S. Transportation Department, darkly noted the FAA’s tendency to wait for disasters to prompt change. "I can’t imagine how the families of the victims cope with this knowledge," she said.

In Kansas, where the ill-fated flight originated, officials are calling for greater public access to the FAA’s safety data. State Rep. John Carmichael highlighted the importance of this information for the traveling public. With over 860 allowed landings and departures per day at Reagan National, safety measures are crucial.

Even after Congress allowed for additional flights at Reagan, which many local authorities opposed, the airport remains overcrowded. Last year, Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner voiced their concerns, labeling a near miss as a “flashing red warning light.”

The situation highlights a complexity in U.S. aviation policy. As Mike McCormick from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University noted, congestion around Reagan National contributed significantly to the crash. The newly added flight from Kansas was diverted to a runway closer to helicopter operations, increasing the risk.

On a different note, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids emphasized that the discussions around the crash and airspace congestion are complex issues that should not be conflated. Each tragedy serves as a painful reminder of the importance of stringent safety measures and attention to federal aviation data.

For more information on FAA regulations and safety data, you can visit the FAA’s official site.

Check out this related article: Rodrigo Duterte’s Justice Journey: Who Else Will Be Held Accountable?

Source link

Sean Duffy, District of Columbia, Federal Aviation Administration, Tim Kaine, Mark Warner, Kansas, Doug Lane, Kris Kobach, Aviation safety, Virginia, Wichita, United States government, Plane crashes, General news, United States, DC Wire, KS State Wire, Transportation, Washington news, James Hall, John Carmichael, Accidents, Politics, National Transportation Safety Board, Ronald Reagan, U.S. news, Donald Trump, Business, Mary Schiavo, John F. Kennedy, Mike McCormick, Washington News